Bad Gotham
by KestrelDC
Summary: Bad Gotham is what happens when the whole "Batman Beyond" thing continues, minus the whole clone part, but a Batman dies and leaves his Robin behind.


Jacob

So, many people know there've been more than one Robin—more than anyone can count by now—but what about more than one Batman? Or more than one Superman? Or even, more than one Aquaman? Yes, a few know that the first Batman got too old and a new one came around. But, Bruce wasn't the only Batman to pass down the cowl, and Terry wasn't the only successor to don it. The same situation continued for decades, centuries, even. Eventually, Henry Mc'Clung became Batman.

My father was too busy to raise me and he knew I'd have to defend myself from villains considering who _he_ is, and who my mom, who abandoned me when I was only four, is as well. Henry was setting up a special school to start taking children under his wing and training them . . . to defend themselves and each other. My dad knows Gotham's gotten worse, but he has no idea just how much. The crime rate is crazy; the unemployment rate is at an all time high, and there is no asylum, because nobody could actually build and keep one. Bruce, the originator of these traditions, _chose_ not to kill; now, we _have_ to kill. Emma, Batgirl, was Christmas shopping when her parents— _gangsters_ —were shot down by rival gang members. That's not even the worst of it. I . . . am Robin, Henry's _first_ Robin. Where Bruce had Alfred, Henry now has Allen. My name? Jacob. . . . I don't want to say my last name yet. . . .

1

Jacob clipped on his utility belt while Henry, green eyes solemn, simply stared—stared at the wall. Allen seemed so worried that something was going to happen to one of them. Jacob didn't want to agree, but he had such an uneasy feeling in his gut. Something was wrong; tonight didn't feel like any other night. It felt different, somehow. It felt like . . . like someone might never come back, or at least, not wear their mask again. Jacob glanced at the Batmobile, its Quantum engine already revving. What was it that would happen . . . or was he getting worked up over nothing? He felt, though, that somehow tonight would change something—or everything.

Chuckler was hauling chemicals taken from the recently abandoned Ace Chemicals into his funhouse. It wasn't the same as the one Joker had had, that had been destroyed a long time ago, but eventually, inevitably, a new one was built. It seemed stupid, with all that had happened before, to build a new funhouse, to allow _children_ there. Yoyo, his sister, was yelling at thugs to move faster. The thugs desperately tried to get the right pace, before she decided to. . . punish them. She grinned at this. Of course she would. She loved seeing people afraid of her.

There were too many of them to take on and they still had no idea what Chuckler's plans were. Looking around, they noticed nobody was going in what seemed like Chuckler's office. Batman told Robin to sneak into it while he kept an eye out. Of course, the coms had to be on _at all times_ , but especially at a time like this. Once Robin was in, after sneaking through the back, he started looking around. There were a bunch of blueprints. Upon inspecting some, Robin realized most of them seemed to be for some sort of. . . chemical bomb. But, what about the others? They were obviously for some kind of. . . building. Tensing, he anxiously examined them, terrified of _what_ building it was. He knew it must be the target for the bomb. Just as he realized it was the commissioner's house, the com rang in his ear.

" **ROBIN! GET OUT OF THERE!"**

Unfortunately, itwasn't in time to do much good. He felt himself grabbed by several people, including around the neck. There wasn't much he could do as he slowly blacked out, hearing little but his own grunts and the menacing laughs of Chuckler and Yoyo and seeing only the desk, covered in the blueprints. He may have a lot of training, but the enemies had two advantages: numbers and surprise.

He woke up suddenly, startled awake. Sweating and breathing hard, he looked around. It didn't take him long to figure out he was hanging, chained up, from a ledge. He took a few moments more, though, before realizing _where_ he was chained up. _**Ace Chemicals.**_ Looking down, he saw nothing but a big vat of green acid. Before he could do anything himself, Batman crashed through the window behind him.

"I can save myself, it's too far for you!" Robin desperately yelled.

But. . . of course, it was too late. Gliding over, Batman grabbed him. The chain must have been fairly weak and old, because the moment he did so, it broke loose from the ledge. Batman quickly realized he wouldn't make it across and shoved Robin the rest of the way. Robin landed on the ground, just over the side. He quickly, a little panicked,grabbed the little laser from his utility belt and cut loose from the chain. He heard Batman screaming, scrabbling to attempt to get out.

Robin stood up and turned around, terrified. The screaming and scrabbling stopped abruptly. He could see his fingers sinking below the acid surface. It hadn't taken long; the acid was strong. Chuckler had a frown, but only of disappointment, he didn't care. He pulled the plug to drain the vat. "Oh well, I still have you for a playmate!" was all he said, was all he cared.

Enraged, Robin ran towards the stairs up to the ledge where Chuckler and Yoyo were. They'd already started running off, and were gone by the time he was up there. He didn't know what direction they had gone or what window they may have gone through, but he knew he wouldn't catch up to them, that is, if he even found their trail. Terrified, still filled with rage, he ran back to the vat, afraid to look. He knew what he'd find. He wanted to save the body, though, to lay it in the memorial crypt he hoped was to come. It was almost a bare skeleton, some hair sticking off the skull, bits of flesh and body parts clinging to the bones and lying around. The suit was the same as the flesh and blood was pooled and streaked in different spots. Robin bit his lip, he'd seen and experienced some terrible, terrible stuff, but this . . . .

 **"Dammit! You horrible monster, Chuckler! Go to Hell!"** he wailed before he couldn't hold his tears any longer.


End file.
